Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-12-10
HARPERON THESTAND
THgPIDELITY WRECKER TBSTIPlES in HIS
OWN BEHALF.
He Oysrrulss His Lawyers and lnslssS on Being
Heard-An Impressive Scene in COurt-A
Sweeping Denial Of Wiltshire and
EckerSt'S Testimony.

CINCINNATI, o., December 9.-This
proved to be the great day in the trial oi
E. l. Harper. Until after court opened 1t
was not known whether Harper himself
would be witness or not. 1t has been
said that his counsel protested against his
appearance on the witness stand, and that
be has firmly insisted that his interests
demanded that he should tell his own
story. This uncertainty brought most
unusual throng of spectators. Before III
o'clock the hour for opening court, all
the available space i'll the court room was
occupied. Even the space behind the rail-
ing sacred to the officers OF the Court, was
filled with ladies and friends of the Court,
among whom WAS Hon. f. +. NOyes, ex-
u. S. Minister to France, and Hnn. 1. T..
Powell, late Democratic candidate for Gov
ernor of Ohio. At 1905 the crowd was SO
great that an order was issued to admit no
more, not even attorneys, unless seats
should be vacated. Still the corridors
filled, and the poor hailiff at the door WAS
worried beyond measure by appeals to be
ct into the crush.
The parties appeared promptly, and the
impressive opening OF court, during which
everyone stood until the closing words,
Cod save the United States and these
honorable courts" were delivered, left q
hush upon the animated scene. Harper
appeared pale and anxious, his wife weary
and her SISTER, Miss Matthews, wore face
bearing traces OF recent distress. At l.!
minutes after 10 the question was solved
by Mr. Blackburn
CALLING Mr.. HARPER
to the witness stand. Before he took the
oath. Judcc Jackson asked:
DO you request Ia he placed on the
witness Staud?'
"YcS, sir" was the answer.
The oath was then administered, and in
answer to queatlons by Mr.. blackburn the
witness said he now resided in the county
iaIl, and told of his previous business ca
reer, ending with the Fidelity National
Bank, which he said he organized out Of
the Fidelity Safe Deposit and Trust Com
pany. He smiled when asked il he knew
J. w. Wiltshire, ard went oil to detail
Wilshire'S connection with the Fidelity
National Bank. He said that in Septem-
Der, 1S-6, be was induced by Wiltshire to
make him a loan of $55.0OO. Wiltshire at
that time was debtor to the bank to the
amount of 5000, 900, and he represented to
Harper that if this loan was not made the
bank would suffer. lie accommodated
him upon taking an agreement to transfer
certain real estate and also 100 shares OF
Fidelity National Bank at par, then worth
los. All went well until in October when
the witness returned from a little dinner
party composed of Wiltshire aad some Of
tireia Of the hank, and found that
DURING his ABSENCE
Wil~hire, Eckert q Co. = check for $26, OOO
on the First National Bank had been re-
turned not good That check Wiltshire
said he was unable to make good, and we
we're compelled to carry il. Another day,
when witness was out, Wiltshire Eckert x
Co. got Hopkins TO wire $50, coo credit tO
Chicago upon certified checks. At the close
of business hours that day he found Will
shire, Eckert Il Co.'S account was over
drawn $50, coo. With the former $26, 900,
their debt to the bank OF $2O0, 900, and
their debt 10 him Of 500, ,0O0 he felt that
they were in \ dangerous position.
Wiltshire transferred TO him the real es
tate aud the stock, which he turned over tC
the bank. Io stOrmed at Wiltshire, hut
could get nothing out of him. He the sug'
gested to the cashier to take call loan
from Wiltshire, Eckert 4 Co. to square
their account and to save the cashier.
In answer to direct questions from Mr..
Blackburn he stated that he never gave an
order of any kind to Mr.. Eckert, to buy
grain for him in Chicago, and he was
"qually sweeping and explicit in saying
that he never authorized Mr.. Wiltshire TO
buy grain for him in Chicago or elsewhere.
This is the point of the whole case and is
in direct conflict with the testimony OF
both Mr. Wiltshire and Mr.. Eckert.
Mr. Blackburn then took up the
ACCOUNTS OF THE BANK
with the First National of New York and
the Chemical National Of New York
where large balances were carried, and
Mr.. Harper was called on to explain all
these transactions. He did so with great
minutenesS, referring often to the books OI
the bank. In general mis- excuse for the
irregularities was that the bank was put
into trouble by the Wiltshire, Eckert Il Co
debt, and be used whatever methods he
cOuld to aavt the hank and tide over affairs
HIS testimony was not ended at the noon
adjournment.
Harper's manner Oh the stand showed
what difficult man he has been for his
ATTORNEYS to manage He took the jury
into his confidence, and talked to them
with the purpose of convincing them. He
testified dOzen times 10 occurrences
which he did not witness, but of which
somebody had told him. Harper went
on to say that when Wiltshire in March
still owed the bank and him large sums,
he insisted on his selling out his wheat
deal, so as TO pay his debts. Wiltshire
said TO do so safely, be
SHOULD BUY SOME
that day to keep up the market, aud then
he could sell ont TO advantage the next
day. "Hc asked my advice" said Harper,
land gave it. / said to him, Make out
Your order to hny June wheat, and if it;
all right, III o. X. it Mr.. Wiltshire sent
to the bank this note, that he was going tC
buy 10000 bushels of wheat, and
%. K.'d' it. 1t was no act OF
account of mine in any shape or form. The
books Of the baHk will show, think, thai
he paid the bank considerable amount O.
money the next day. l had no purpose
whatever in this transaction, except to gel
the money for the bank that was owing tO
it by Wiltshire"
PRESIDENT HARRIS FLOP